Leslie and Wendy discuss sacred dance in the modern world and how to create a safe space for the body. Wendy speaks about the Guild's history and inclusive philosophy and how they strive to be an anchor to bring together those in the sacred dance world. They share their journeys, discuss the meaning of "sacred," and explore how dance can be a spiritual path.

Find The Sacred Dance Guild Online:

Website: https://sacreddanceguild.org/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/SacredDancGuild

Find Us Online:

Main Website: https://www.universaldancer.com/

Podcast Website:

http://bit.ly/TheUniversalDancerPodcastWebsite

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/universaldancercommunity

Instagram: @the.universaldancer

YouTube: TheUniversaldancer

🎶 Music by Konrad OldMoney

To watch previous episodes of The Universal Dancer Podcast, check out this playlist:

https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PL98WHbpBnljXhWJK8c80xKpHUrr_1U_-S

💃🏼 If you have a passion for sacred dance, be sure to watch previous interviews from the Sacred Dance Summit; check out that playlist:

https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PL98WHbpBnljWu2qHa2DcC135VPAvJLj4i

Did you enjoy the show? Please like, follow, and share.

Thanks for listening!

Leslie

🌀TheUniversaldancer

Leslie and Sofiah start the conversation by emphasizing the importance of dance and the arts as a way for teens to express themselves—drawing on their own experiences in adolescence.

They discuss the courage it takes to be on a spiritual path, the importance of Incubation and Divine timing during the process, and the need to surrender and listen to hear and follow the call—wherever that might take you.

They conclude by touching on a subject very dear to them: the Dakini/Divine Feminine/Serpent Goddess energy.

Find Sofiah Online:

Website: https://www.sofiahthom.com/

Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/groups/templebody/

Instagram: @sofiahthom

YouTube: Sofiah Thom

Find Us Online:

Main Website: https://www.universaldancer.com/

Podcast Website:

http://bit.ly/TheUniversalDancerPodcastWebsite

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/universaldancercommunity

Instagram: @the.universaldancer

YouTube: TheUniversaldancer

🎶 Music by Konrad OldMoney

Did you enjoy the podcast? Please follow, subscribe, and share.

Thanks for listening!

Leslie

🌀TheUniversaldancer

Leslie and Banafsheh take a deep dive into the essence of sacred dance. The interview explores what "sacred" is, how it can take us to a place of spiritual transcendence, why it's something we should be present in and connected to, and how it can lead to that feeling of surrender. They also explore the sacred feminine and why it is essential to embrace her, not just for women but for all of us, to bring her back into our consciousness to heal the planet.

Find Banafsheh Online:

Website: danceofoneness.org

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BanafshehSayyad

Instagram: www.instagram.com/banafshehdance/

YouTube: www.youtube.com/dancemystical

Embody the Power of the Feminine Through Sacred Sufi Dance: Live With Authenticity, Passion & Peace in Your Own Body, Online Event Register here:

https://bit.ly/BanafshehShiftNetworkEvent

Venus Rising

https://academy.danceofoneness.org/courses/venus-rising-regenerating-love/

Living in Harmony

https://academy.danceofoneness.org/courses/living-in-harmony/

In the Fire of Grace Film

https://danceofoneness.org/in-the-fire-of-grace/

on Amazon Prime:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/video/detail/B08CL51ZTX/ref=atv_dp_share_cu_r

on Vimeo

https://vimeo.com/ondemand/inthefireofgrace

Find Us Online:

Main Website: https://www.universaldancer.com/

Podcast Website:

http://bit.ly/TheUniversalDancerPodcastWebsite

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/universaldancercommunity

Instagram: @the.universaldancer

YouTube: TheUniversaldancer

🎶 Music by Konrad OldMoney

Thanks for listening!

Leslie

🌀TheUniversaldancer

*Affiliates link. Commissions paid from this link go to support the podcast.

After years as a contemporary dance performer, Julia's body, like many dancers, began to suffer. In this episode, Julia shares her journey of creating a modality called Upward Spiral after injury forced her to find new ways to move.

Later in the show, Leslie and Julia shared their love of nature and working with plants and trees. Julia explains how she created her new dance practice with trees from inspiration from the Celtic Ogham alphabet.

Find Julia Online:

Website: www.upwardspiral.me

Facebook: @JuliaAplin, @UpwardSpiral

Find Us Online:

Main Website: https://www.universaldancer.com/

Podcast Website:

http://bit.ly/TheUniversalDancerPodcastWebsite

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/universaldancercommunity

Instagram: @the.universaldancer

YouTube: TheUniversaldancer

🎶 Music by Konrad OldMoney

Did you enjoy the show? Please like, subscribe, and share.

Thanks for listening!

Leslie

🌀TheUniversaldancer

Leslie and Karen discuss their passion for dance and how this feeling led Karen to write her book "Our Love Affair with Dance"—a memoir about two of her mentors, Magda and Gertrud Hahn, intertwined with her dance journey. They also delve into dance's spiritual connection and the importance of embodiment.

Find Karen Online:

Website: https://karenmckinlaykurnaedy.com/

Facebook: @Karen Kurnaedy

Instagram: @karenmckinlaykurnaedy

Twitter: @kkurnaedy

Find Us Online:

Main Website: https://www.universaldancer.com/

Podcast Website:

http://bit.ly/TheUniversalDancerPodcastWebsite

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/universaldancercommunity

Instagram: @the.universaldancer

YouTube: TheUniversaldancer

🎶 Music by Konrad OldMoney

Did you enjoy the show? Please like, subscribe, and share. Hope to see you at the next live recording!

✨WHY SUBSCRIBE? ✨ Every month, we record a new interview with someone from the sacred dance world. You will be notified when a new episode goes live if you subscribe.

Thanks for listening!

Leslie

🌀TheUniversaldancer

In this episode, Ya'Acov shared his journey to becoming a "dancer." We talked about the power of dance, the wisdom of the body, and the importance of daily spiritual practices in our evolution towards greater consciousness.

Find Ya'Acov Online:

Websites: 21gratitudes.com, schoolofmovementmedicine.com, darlingkhan.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/yaacovandsusannahdk

Instagram: @shamanyaacov

Find Us Online:

Main Website: https://www.universaldancer.com/

Podcast Website:

http://bit.ly/TheUniversalDancerPodcastWebsite

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/universaldancercommunity

Instagram: @the.universaldancer

YouTube: TheUniversaldancer

🎶 Music by Konrad OldMoney

To watch previous episodes of The Universal Dancer Podcast, check out this playlist:

https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PL98WHbpBnljXhWJK8c80xKpHUrr_1U_-S

💃🏼 If you have a passion for sacred dance, be sure to watch previous interviews from the Sacred Dance Summit; check out that playlist:

https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PL98WHbpBnljWu2qHa2DcC135VPAvJLj4i

Thanks for listening!

Leslie

🌀TheUniversaldancer

What is embodied awakening? How can we use dance to attune to the body and come back into balance with ourselves and the world around us? Join Leslie and Amara for a deep dive into how conscious dance can be a path of awakening. And how this awakening is exactly what is needed in this critical turning point in time.

Find Amara Online:

Website: https://pathofazul.com/,

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Azul.consciousmovement,

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/amarapagano.azul/

Membership Community: https://pathofazul.com/membership-portal/

Embodied Movement Conference: https://embodied-movement-conference.com/collection

Find Us Online:

Main Website: https://www.universaldancer.com/

Podcast Website:

http://bit.ly/TheUniversalDancerPodcastWebsite

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/universaldancercommunity

Instagram: @the.universaldancer

YouTube: TheUniversaldancer

🎶 Music by Konrad OldMoney

Did you enjoy the show? Please like, subscribe, and share.

Thanks for listening!

Leslie

🌀TheUniversaldancer

Join a dynamic and diverse panel from different backgrounds for a roundtable discussion on what it means to heal trauma through dance. Dance is a powerful medium for healing trauma. Regardless of ethnicity, race, gender, or age, people can find community and strength through dance. They discuss the power of dance in healing from traumatic experiences and how to bring about more peace and resilience.

Stefan Freedman, Author of the book 'Dance Wise,' is passionate about the role of integrative arts in transforming society. His research focuses on healing trauma through conscious movement. He has facilitated dance in mental health settings for 15 years in Ipswich, UK, and continues a weekly therapeutic movement class where many participants attend with their carers. Stefan's dance training includes dances from many cultures and styles. He sees dance as an integration of body, mind, emotions, and spirituality is drawn to exploring inwardly and outwardly, and has studied Voice Dialogue, Psychosynthesis, Co-Counselling, NLP, and NVC. Stefan coordinates a free online hub where facilitators share insights and practical tools. The aim is to create a global group of dancers and practitioners sharing resources contributing to a more compassionate and sustainable world. www.dancewise.net

Marylee Hardenbergh studied under Irmgard Bartenieff and Penny Bernstein and is a Board-Certified Dance/Movement Therapist. She served on the Board of Directors for the American Dance Therapy Association, and led numerous Movement Choirs for the openings and closings at the conferences; she was honored to be a keynote speaker at their 2015 conference. Hardenbergh loves to travel and work with communities to create site-specific performances that combine community art with therapeutic intentions, creating performances in sites worldwide. She was an Artist-In-Residence at the Center for Global Environmental Education at Hamline University in Minnesota and the original Artistic Director of Global Water Dances. She directs Global Site Performance and has received numerous awards for choreography. Globalsiteperformance.org

Rebecca Faro's dance journey started at ten while attending Bush Davies & Elmhurst Ballet School. At seventeen, she auditioned for the London School of Contemporary dance. Overjoyed to be one of four accepted from eighty people, they found she had a back problem at that audition, meaning she couldn't continue with her dance career. Although this was earth-shattering news, it changed her direction. She began to explore movement as a healing path for herself & others, training in Creative movement through the Anna Halprin method. She continued her exploration by attending Authentic Movement, Contact improvisation, Rebirthing, Trance Dance, 5rhythms, BioDanza, and Grief Counselling courses. She has recently completed a ten-month online personal development training with Jamie Catto. dancinginsideout.com

Alia Thabit is an Arab-American Oriental (belly) dance artist and a Somatic Experiencing® Practitioner. She is also a writing instructor, Dancemeditation and Spiritual Bellydance instructor, and creativity coach. Alia champions self-expression, resilience, and trust in the body. Her dance classes help participants reclaim their joyful spirit and deep wells of creativity. She weaves Somatic Experiencing techniques into her classes and coaching to help seekers transcend limiting beliefs and connect to their true self. Alia is the author of "Midnight at the Crossroads: Has belly dance sold its soul?" which challenges cultural stereotypes, discusses its evolution, and shows how to access the dance's inherent spirit and joy.

🎶 Music by Konrad OldMoney

Mary Abrams holds an MA degree in Consciousness Studies, focusing on embodied movement, the biology of emotion, and Epistemics.

She owns and directs Moving Body Resources, a space in New York City for teachers and practitioners supporting body awareness, wellness, and authenticity in life. Mary has over 25 years of exploring and teaching somatic movement practice inspired by dance, creativity, and healing and has worked with psychotherapists, social workers, political activists/leaders, artists, actors, health care providers, business leaders, and educators, among others.

In this episode, we spoke about Continuum-inspired Somatic Movement, the Biology of Emotion (affective theory), Epistemics (a model for how humans create meaning), and how we can use body-centered movement practices to find balance in our lives.

We also spoke about Mary's beautiful space in NYC, Moving Body Resources, and her challenges over the last two years keeping this sacred space open.

Find Mary Online:

Website: www.movingbodyresources.com, and www.maryabrams.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mbrnyc

Find Us Online:

Main Website: https://www.universaldancer.com/

Podcast Website:

http://bit.ly/TheUniversalDancerPodcastWebsite

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LeslieZehrAuthorPage/

Instagram: @the.universaldancer

YouTube: TheUniversaldancer

🎶 Music by Konrad OldMoney

To watch previous episodes of The Universal Dancer Podcast, check out this playlist:

https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PL98WHbpBnljXhWJK8c80xKpHUrr_1U_-S

💃🏼 If you have a passion for sacred dance, be sure to watch previous interviews from the Sacred Dance Summit, check out that playlist:

https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PL98WHbpBnljWu2qHa2DcC135VPAvJLj4i

Did you enjoy the show? Please like, subscribe, and share. Hope to see you at the next live recording!

✨WHY SUBSCRIBE? ✨ Every month, we record a new interview with someone from the sacred dance world. You will be notified when a new episode goes live if you subscribe. After you subscribe, be sure to hit that little bell icon so you don't miss any future videos!

Thanks for watching!

Leslie

🌀TheUniversaldancer

The Universal Dancer Podcast celebrates its first year of podcasting with a special event. Joining host and author Leslie Zehr was the first guest from last year, Dunya McPherson, Founder of Dancemeditation™, and Phoebe Neville, a dancer and Buddhist practitioner with a background in BodyMind Centering.

Leslie and her guests take a deep dive into the importance of dance and embodiment in a spiritual practice. What a fantastic group of knowledgeable women—lots of insight to be shared. These women with different dance and spiritual backgrounds all arrived at the same point—surrender, joy, coming home.

They spoke about:

In addition to the thoughtful conversation, there was much to be celebrated. Leslie announced the line-up of guests for the podcast's second season. Dunya spoke about her newly released book Sojourn the Inner Heaven: Movement Meditations for Awakening.

Find Dunya Online:

Website: https://dancemeditation.org/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/dunya.mcpherson

Instagram: @Dancemeditation, @DunyaMcPherson

“Sojourn the Inner Heaven: Movement Meditations for Awakening”

https://dancemeditation.org/2022/01/sojourn-the-inner-heaven-movement-meditations-for-awakening/

Feb 6th Dancemeditation on Zoom 1-3 pm EST

https://dancemeditation.org/2022/01/2-6-dancemeditation-with-dunya/

Find Us Online:

Main Website: https://www.universaldancer.com/

Podcast Website: https://bit.ly/TheUniversalDancerPodcastPortal

Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/56896909604

Instagram: @the.universaldancer

YouTube: TheUniversaldancer

🎶 Music by Konrad OldMoney

Did you enjoy the show? Please like, subscribe, and share. Hope to see you at the next live recording!

Thanks for listening! 

Leslie 

🌀TheUniversaldancer